Links and Updates

I know it’s been quiet on this blog for a while, but I really am trying to pull together my Twelve Best Scenes for 2023! Until then, let’s discuss the fact there’s been an insane amount of trailers for blockbuster material released in the last couple of weeks, including from the Big Three Franchises (Game of Thrones, Star Wars, MCU).

Let’s take a look...

The Acolyte

Not sure what to make of this one. On the plus side: Carrie Anne Moss, the premise of the Jedi at the height of their power being targeted by a shadowy threat, and the fact this is the earliest-set story in the chronology, so hopefully we can avoid any Skywalker cameos (though there’s still a chance we’ll get: “somehow, Palpatine is already here”).

On the cons: it looks very murky and washed out, the dialogue is bland, we’ll almost certainly be subjected to the word “younglings” again, and I still haven’t forgiven Disney for The Rise of Skywalker debacle. Maybe they should just let Star Wars rest for a while. Give us a chance to miss it.

House of the Dragon

Okay, I have to admit that releasing two trailers that each spotlight the two opposing factions of the civil war this show is about (the Greens and the Blacks) is a clever marketing move, even if there’s a chance it’ll bite the showrunners in the ass. Do you really want to stir up fandom wars? Because those things are exhausting.

For what it’s worth, I think the first season did a reasonably good job depicting the humanity of all its characters, while at the same time expecting the audience to root for the Blacks. But whether we like it or not, Westeros is a deeply patriarchal society. For all the characters talk about “the good of the realm,” (and Rhaenyra clearly being the better option over Aegon the rapist) the people of the realm would clearly prefer a man on the throne. The very first scene of the entire show established this: Rhaenys is passed over for Viserys despite being a stronger claimant.

That modern audiences are inevitably going to cheer on Rhaenyra as the gendered underdog is at odds with the context of the show, and many of her flaws (siring obvious bastards, moving away from the centre of power, completely mishandlings Cristan Cole) are already being swept under the rug. And from what I know of George R.R. Martin’s fictional-history as laid out in Fire and Blood, Rhaenyra is just as bad as everyone else there.

In other words, the show has a great set-up here, but I’m wary that this nuance and complexity will be lost. Fandom likes its conflicts to be simplistic, so let’s hope the writers won’t be guided by online drama, as so many (increasingly terrible) shows are these days. And since fandom is bizarrely under the impression that this is a “root for your favourite character and win!” type of show after watching the fallout of Game of Thrones, it’s not going to be pretty.

Heck, fandom couldn’t even handle Daemon choking Rhaenyra despite all those gushing claims that they loved “toxic, messed-up relationships!” Uh-huh. Sure, Jan.  

Deadpool & Wolverine

Okay, I admit it, I like the Deadpool movies. They didn’t change my life or anything, but Ryan Reynolds was clearly made for the role and is having a great time with it.

Having made the jump to Disney and the MCU multiverse, there are plenty of intriguing Easter eggs in this trailer: apparently the facility that Wade is taken to featured heavily in Loki, there’s a rather astonishing appearance from Aaron Stanford as Pyro (not seen since X-Men: The Last Stand) and of course, the man himself – Hugh Jackman as Wolverine – fulfilling two films worth of running gags detailing Wade’s obsession with him.

Personally, I’m happy that they’re sticking with the continuity that depicted Deadpool saving Vanessa’s life in the end credits, and that Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio are still together. But sadly, there’s no sign of Zazie Beetz as Domino or Julian Denniston as Dusty. (Or T.J. Miller, but that’s not surprising).

It’s obvious that Marvel wants this to be their big comeback, so we’ll see how it fares...

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Okay, this looks incredible. Where to start? Furiosa as a child. Her “magnificent” mother. That soundtrack. Chris Hemsworth’s prosthetic nose. The Green Place. Desert shots. Motorcycles. Explosions. Tom Burke?? Anya Taylor Joy shaving her head and donning that iconic face paint.

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly ten years since we first met this character in Fury Road, and a part of me will always be leery about prequels, but if there was ever a film that looked like it was going to justify going back to the well, then surely this is it.

Doctor Who

Whoohoo! This is probably what I’m most looking forward to on this list, and wow – you can really see the Disney money in this trailer. In a way it’s a shame, because the subpar practical effects have always been the most charming thing about Doctor Who, right from its inception, but I suppose we’ll just have to trust that Russel Davies won’t get carried away with it all. *cough* George Lucas/Peter Jackson *cough*

I spotted Kate and Mel, as well as what looks like a dancing episode, the butterfly effect in action, the Beetles/Austen-themed adventures, and that new fairytale/supernatural vibe. And Ncuti Gatwa just oozes charisma, doesn’t he. I hope he stays longer than the usual “three seasons and a few Christmas Specials.”

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

I saw the original Beetlejuice once, decades ago, and remember very little about it. The cartoon on the other hand? That was a staple part of my childhood. As with so many of these legacyquels, it’s difficult to discern from a teaser whether this has a decent story to tell or is just here to squeeze every last cent it can from Gen X, who have proven over and over again that they’re obsessed with reliving their childhoods. Though I will concede that casting Jenna Ortega as Winona Ryder’s daughter was a no-brainer.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Yeah, they made another one.

The Penguin

I can't say I understand this one either.

Bridgerton

Okay, so this is a sneak-peak and not a trailer, and I’m not sure why I’m still watching. Romance is not my genre! And I can’t even say it’s a period drama, because there’s absolutely nothing in the costumes, sets or general world-building that suggests it’s part of our history and not some off-kilter parallel dimension.

***

Going back a few months, I was mind-boggled to see this drop:

Um, what? I had been under the impression that Disney was going to release a Moana television show, not a movie sequel. Which turns out to have been the case. Without even confirming if the likes of Dwayne Johnson or Auliʻi Cravalho would be involved, it turns out Disney have reconfigured the project into a feature-length film that’ll be released later this year.

I’m gobsmacked. This can’t be a good idea, and I’m not feeling optimistic about the film’s quality – which is a damn shame since the original movie was the best thing they’ve put out in decades. And aren’t they giving it the live-action treatment as well? Urgh. Just urgh all round.

They’ve also released the trailer for Iwájú, another project I was looking forward to... except the animation looks like it was rendered thirty years ago in a direct-to-video release. Set in a “futuristic Nigeria” (according to the trailer) it’s clearly inspired by Black Panther and its depiction of Wakanda, with the requisite animal sidekick, trite dialogue and not much indication of what the story is.

Hopefully it turns out better than it looks.

Pixar’s Elio looks a bit better. At least it’s original.

***

So I walked into the living room to see my sister with her kids and the television turned on. “What’s this?” I asked, referring to the programme. And apparently there’s a show based on Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers that has been running for three seasons already. If this is not an indication of the sheer amount of content that’s out there right now, I don’t know what is, because I’m truly stunned that I had no idea whatsoever of its existence.

Millie Bobby Brown’s Damsel movie has been released on Netflix, and it looks like it would go well as a double-feature with Joey King’s The Princess. That is, neither one looks great, but they certainly share the same general premise: a fairy tale princess kicks ass and probably declaims some meaningless spiel on girl-power. Come on, there’s no way I’m not watching that, even if they’re both cheesy as hell.

The casting for Marvel’s The Fantastic Four has been announced: Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm.

To be brutally honest, I’m still burned out on superheroes and this particular team has never interested me much (I initially had Pedro down as “Richard Reeds”), but to sum up: Pedro Pascal is running the risk of oversaturation, I struggle to understand the hype for Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn can be said to have officially made it, and it’s a damn shame that Ebon Moss-Bachrach is probably going to be stuck in this franchise and behind twenty layers of prosthetics and/or CGI for years to come.

The Spiderwick Chronicles (of all things) has gotten a remake. Not sure why, as the first film was perfectly serviceable, and since Disney+ sold it off to another distributors there is zero chance it’ll get a second season, but... I’m vaguely intrigued, I guess?

Speaking of second seasons, it turns out that despite my predictions, Netflix’s live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender is getting a full run. That is, three seasons to cover the animated show’s three “books.” Seriously, Netflix? You cancel practically everything under the sun, but keep the subpar and completely unnecessary live-action remake? I’m happy for the cast and crew, who obviously deserve to keep their jobs and see this story through to its end, but nothing I’ve seen or heard about this remake inspires me to watch it... except that they’re apparently playing up the Aang/Zuko ship a little.

(But hey, maybe me predicting that shows will be cancelled is the surefire way to guarantee their continuations. In which case, Shadow and Bone and Willow and The Nevers and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance are DEFINITELY over and will NEVER be picked up again).

***

To sum up my immediate viewing schedule, I’m perfectly happy with Elementary and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955) for the time being, but I’ve got my eye on Shōgun and The Tudors, not to mention rewatches of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

A deep-dive into the Folk Horror genre for a library display also led me to The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow. Released in 2022, it’s designed to look like an old-school pixellated point-and-click adventure game. Set in the Victorian Era. With a female protagonist called upon to help evacuate a barrow only to discover that the archaeologist who invited her has gone missing.  

Um, HELL YEAH. There goes my Easter.

I’m also having a great time watching historical fiction lately (well, as historical as Hollywood is capable of making it) and may well keep the theme going with The Last Duel, Gladiator, The King and Napolean to go with Margrete: Queen of the North, Kingdom of Heaven, Arn: The Knight Templar and Red Cliff.

Finally, Dune II, X-Men ‘97 and The 3 Body Problem have just been released... I’ll get to them eventually, as soon as I can ascertain they’re worth watching.